My sister has carried frozen foods back to Alaska from Missouri in a checked cooler before (on Alaska Airlines). However, I am currently in the same situation as you . . . wanting to take a cooler holding a deflated air mattress, etc. to Arizona so that we can then use the cooler while helping my daughter move/ drive back to Idaho. I'm certain it is okay by TSA regulations, but my main concern is how to secure the lid in a way that it will stay closed for the flight and not get damaged even if TSA decides to open the cooler and check it. A couple of years ago, I packed some winter gear (coat, boots, snow pants) into a box, closed it up with packing tape, and checked it. TSA used box cutters to open the box and sliced right through my UGGS. So . . . not sure how they would treat my cooler if I added tape in a couple of places or something like that to make sure the lid stays on. 😕
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